Economic Action Committee to offer meals in Sargent

Seniors in the Sargent area will soon have a place to gather with others and enjoy a hot meal.

The Economic Action Committee of the Gulf Coast has partnered with the VFW Post 2412 in Sargent to bring hot meals to seniors in the area.

“This is something that we have wanted to do for some time now,” said Kristie Smith, executive director for the Economic Action Committee of the Gulf Coast.

The EAC is a non-profit agency providing numerous services to the county including energy assistance, emergency shelter and food, prescription drugs for seniors and utility assistance.

Smith said many residents in the Sargent area have reached out to have a center open.

“We have tried for the last few years to get a site there and now with the Title III program approval, this will allow us to expand and open a site there,” she said.

Smith said with the Title III program approval they received in September, they will be able to reach the maximum number of seniors in the county.

“This program will allow us to serve more homebound seniors through our home delivered meals program and provide additional congregate meal sites to locations other than Bay City with limited transportation to the sites,” she said.

Smith said Palacios and Bay City has functioning senior citizen centers, with this program they will be able to reach other locations like Cedar Lane and Sargent.

The agency has helped over 1,000 people in the county with rent, utility bills and water bills.

For now, lunch will be provided for seniors in the Sargent area starting, Wednesday, Feb. 22. At 10 a.m. they will be signing up people for the program, lunch will be served at noon.

For now, the site will be opened only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for lunch, she said.

Smith said they also plan to offer transportation to seniors who qualify and want to meet at the VFW for a meal.

“The only requirement is that they are 60 years and older,” she said.

The EAC has recently started home delivery of meals in Sargent, she said.

“We want to offer Sargent what Bay City and Palacios already has,” she added.

The senior center in Bay City offers guest speakers that present special topics important to seniors such as home health care.

After each meal, seniors can get together play bingo and dominos, she said.

“It will be beneficial for our seniors to have fellowship with others as well as to meet friends in one location,” she said.

Smith said it will take some time to get everything going, but she says the new location will be fully operational.